SALISBURY — The local YMCA had been prepared to serve as a temporary shelter for those affected by Helene, but the state Department of Health and Human Services announced today they will close the shelter at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8.

According to the Red Cross, the state initially reached out to the Red Cross and a sheltering contractor with a plan that called for the use of a Red Cross-approved shelter, cots and blankets, the sheltering contractor, HEROES out of Missouri, would run the site and the state would manage meals, transportation, showers and toilets.

The shelter at the Salisbury Y was prepared to house up to 200 people, and was prepared to accommodate pets and service animals and remain open until all residents had found safe housing.

A spokesperson for DHHS said the state was “grateful for the local willingness to help, but it appears we need to move it closer.” She said while many are in need of shelter, they want to remain closer to home.

The shelter will be relocated to Hudson, N.C., and a Red Cross spokesperson said his organization will remain a partner until it is no longer needed. The operational plan remains the same. Hudson is west of Statesville and near Lenoir, closer to the impacted areas.